Intra-gastric fastening devices

Abstract

Intra-gastric fastening devices are disclosed herein. Expandable devices that are inserted into the stomach of the patient are maintained within by anchoring or otherwise fixing the expandable devices to the stomach walls. Such expandable devices, like inflatable balloons, have tethering regions for attachment to the one or more fasteners which can be configured to extend at least partially through one or several folds of the patient's stomach wall. The fasteners are thus affixed to the stomach walls by deploying the fasteners and manipulating the tissue walls entirely from the inside organ. Such fasteners can be formed in a variety of configurations, e.g., helical, elongate, ring, clamp, and they can be configured to be non-piercing. Alternatively, sutures can be used to wrap around or through a tissue fold for tethering the expandable devices. Non-piercing biased clamps can also be used to tether the device within the stomach.

1. A method of placing an anchor to a region of tissue within a hollow body organ, comprising:
 grasping the region of tissue from an interior surface of the hollow body organ; 
 configuring the region of tissue to create at least two folds of tissue; 
 securing an anchor to the folds of tissue such that the folds of tissue contain a certain amount of fibrous tissue thereby creating a tissue bridge to maintain the tissue fold configuration; and 
 attaching an expandable, inflatable device to the anchor; 
 wherein the region of tissue is remote from a junction between the hollow body organ and an esophagus. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising advancing an endoscope transorally to the region of tissue. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body organ comprises a stomach. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein grasping the region of tissue comprises holding the tissue with a vacuum force. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein grasping the region of tissue comprises holding the tissue mechanically. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is a suture. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises at least one protrusion adapted to extend within the tissue. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is a staple. 
     
     
       9. A method of placing an anchor to a region of tissue within a hollow body organ, comprising:
 grasping the region of tissue from an interior surface of the hollow body organ; 
 configuring the region of tissue to create at least two folds of tissue; 
 securing an anchor to the folds of tissue thereby creating a tissue bridge to maintain the tissue fold configuration; and 
 attaching a balloon to the anchor; 
 wherein the region of tissue is remote from a junction between the hollow body organ and an esophagus. 
 
     
     
       10. A method of placing an anchor to a region of tissue within a hollow body organ, comprising:
 grasping the region of tissue from an interior surface of the hollow body organ; 
 configuring the region of tissue to create at least two folds of tissue; 
 securing an anchor to the folds of tissue thereby creating a tissue bridge to maintain the tissue fold configuration; 
 attaching a tether to the anchor; and 
 attaching a balloon to the tether so that the balloon can float freely in the hollow body organ; 
 wherein the region of tissue is remote from a junction between the hollow body organ and an esophagus.